


An End

by Moonrose91



Series: The Call of the Dragon [7]
Category: DragonFable
Genre: Death, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-20
Updated: 2012-09-20
Packaged: 2017-11-14 15:37:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/516894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moonrose91/pseuds/Moonrose91
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some people are like the arctic grass, bending in the harshest of winds, thriving no matter what life throws at it.</p><p>Others are like oak trees, tall and strong, but instead of bending, they break and crash, unable to continue after a particularly fierce storm.</p>
            </blockquote>





	An End

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TeraArgentis](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeraArgentis/gifts).



Fenrir watched as a ten year old Asivia trained under the only other full-fledged mage in town, content that she was doing well when he heard the sound of a gryphon flying in. He looked up, eyes searching, only for them to fall on the box being carried in the claws.

Even from this distance, with the wind just right…

That was Abaven’s scent, but he couldn’t see the Warrior.

He stood up on his barrel, eyes fixated on the box and he immediately turned to where Domineca was walking out, eyes fixated on the sky, her face that sorrowful blank that usually came from people who had just lost half their soul.

Fenrir immediately knew Death had visited the family and he watched as the gryphon carefully touched the crate down before landing in the hay. Asivia had noticed as well, her Ice Strike dying in her hand as she watched her mother approach the crate, not a coffin, and Fenrir mentally winced.

That meant there had been no body.

He watched as another gryphon touched down, this one bearing a rider and Fenrir watched the man. Watched him walk over to a dead eyed Domineca who just stared at the man, unable to believe what she was being told (“I’m sorry. He died honorably, defending Lore from a great evil.”)

Fenrir was surprised that such a strong woman had shattered so quickly and cleanly.

Then again, she had been an oak.

And oaks were not well known for standing up against the strongest of onslaughts, often breaking and crashing when the force grew too great.

Asivia ran over, and Fenrir quickly followed, settling behind the girl, who tugged fruitlessly at her mother’s hand, but Domineca was beyond feeling the world around her. Galanoth strode forward at the scene and rested a hand on Domineca’s shoulder, but the woman was far gone.

Asivia turned to Fenrir, begging of her friend to tell her it wasn’t true, because she knew, just as Galanoth and Domineca knew, that Abaven would not be coming home.

So, Fenrir just wrapped his arms around her protectively, because he could not lie (he would not ever wish to, especially not about something like this), and she began to sob against his chest. He looked up at Galanoth trying to get his sister to react, but her eyes were gone, beyond what they could reach.

She was already dying of a broken heart, unaware, or forgetting, of her daughter that needed her desperately.

Demento appeared two weeks later, to help with the closing of the Dragon Bane (children could not run it and no amount of prodding had woken Domineca out of her stupor) and to aid in trying to get Domineca to wake up. She moved like a ghost through Galanoth’s home, not talking, but otherwise doing what was needed to stay alive.

One evening she told Demento to move, her eyes sparking with life, briefly, and he obeyed, but not before he saw her already slipping back into the stupor she now lived in.

Mage Gonny suggested moving her to someplace warmer, with the children, but later suggested taking her to someone who helped widows adjust down near Falconreach…without the children.

It was suggested when they realized that Asivia no longer had her father’s gray eyes, but brown, and it was obvious Domineca wasn’t getting any better, just worse, as time wore on.

Demento offered to take her, and, after one-sided good-byes, he left, leaving Galanoth with two young children.

Fenrir was grieving quietly, and Asivia, who openly sobbed, her heart obviously breaking.

Samus the Braydenball bounced next to her and Galanoth knelt down next to them and carefully pulled them both protectively into a hug of his own before he slowly released them. “Let’s go home,” he stated and Asivia nodded, still sobbing quietly.

Fenrir carefully wiped her face off with his sleeve. “You don’t want the tracts to freeze on your face. Or the snot,” he stated and, for the first time since her father’s death, Asivia let out a laugh.

Galanoth smiled from under his helm and lead the way back to his home. Fenrir began to follow when he paused, feeling a slight tug as Asivia stopped suddenly.

She turned her face toward the south-west and twitched her head to the side.

“What is it?” Fenrir asked.

Galanoth had stopped as well.

“Can’t you hear it?” she asked.

“Hear what?” Fenrir questioned.

“That…call,” she breathed, so low that Galanoth couldn’t hear her.

“Heart and head, not your ears,” Fenrir stated, gently tugging her along, getting her to follow.

And in her mind, in her heart, she heard the soft crying song, mourning with her across the distance.

She would find the source of that call, one day.

But not today.

**Author's Note:**

> This happens, sometimes. People's depression getting so bad that they, honestly, can't fully continue without a _lot_ help.
> 
> And Domineca was someone who grew up hiding her weakness to the point that she didn't know _how_ to handle that sudden loss. So, she shut down, instead of crying or screaming (which would have actually prevented the breakdown, most likely; the emotional release helps in the grieving process).
> 
> With time, she'll probably get better.
> 
> So, hope spot.
> 
> Also, I have learned a lesson.
> 
> Don't post when tired.
> 
> I originally meant to gift this work to Altera. It was the wording in here ('half a soul') that inspired most of this verse.
> 
> I also like dropping mountains on my characters, making it better, then dropping another mountain on them.
> 
> Yes, that was a quote from Mercedes Lackey.


End file.
